Tuesday, December 20, 2011

This is Christmas




Isaiah 9:6
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
 The government will rest on his shoulders.
 And he will be called:
 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.




It's now five days until Christmas.

Our skinny-white-lighted-overflowing-with-decorations Christmas tree sits quietly in the corner of our living room.

It stands starless, because the ceiling in our new house is too short to place a star on top.

It's underneath is barren and empty.

No presents sit underneath it,
welcoming Christmas with their colorful bows and tags to family and friends.

In it's emptiness...
it glows with an enchanting Light.

It takes me into it, and welcomes me, whenever I walk passed it.

Friends come over and compliment the tree, wooing and ooing over it's many ornaments.
Complimenting it's beauty.
Never noticing it's barrenness on top, or underneath.

I think of last year's Christmas, as though it's been years upon years, that have passed us by.

My heart shakes and sighs, in remembrance of the year that has come and gone.

So much loss...
and still,
 so much gain.


Luke 17:33
If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.


I remember the fullness on top and underneath our tree from last year.

Our star burned brightly and at attention, on top of it.

Presents flooded the bottom poking at it's branches and invading all of the space around it.

Yet...
it didn't draw me in with it's light.

Oh, the presents were something to look at.
Pretty in all of their wonder
 and color
and money invested
 and hours worked to purchase them.

But...
no enchanting Glow.

No welcoming me into it.
No quiet moments gazing upon it.

There was an emptiness about it all.


Luke 2:12
And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.


Christmas came early for our family this year.

It was wrapped snugly in all of it's beauty and perfection...

it came in healing.

restoration.

breaking of bondage.

perfect on time provision.

peace.

laughter.


trusting.

knowing.

forgiveness.

togetherness.

encouragement from friends and family.

love so sweet.

gifts of the heart.

a listening ear.


Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!



I've known the meaning of Christmas my entire life.

Our Savior, born of a virgin, in the quiet, of a star-lit, empty, barren manger.

The small, new born King filling the universe to overflowing, with His perfect humble entrance.


Within the emptiness of that manger, the earth was filled.


Christ among us.
Shining His Light.
Welcoming the world into His love embrace.

This is Christmas.





As I remember the Christmases of the past,
I stare, and sit in awe, at my starless tree of emptiness.

Yet...
in it's emptiness, we are filled.


Romans 15:13
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.





I reflect on all of the unseen, unwrapped gifts that have been placed before us.
Miracles sprouting and blooming out of the nothingness.
Our lives overflowing with invisible blessings,
those that don't require colorful bows or frills.

I smile a smile of peace and contentment.

Joy fills my soul.


My heart dances within the quiet of the moment.
Like the hanging overstuffed branches of our tree, that glow in the Light of the tiny bulbs, my heart bursts with fullness.

Fullness in the Love that I know is here within these walls,
 within our hearts,
 within our lives...

within His presence.

This is Christmas.



My eyes are flooded to clear seeing within the tears that swell.

And for the first time in my 39 years of living and breathing...
I see and feel Christmas all around me.


My heart finds Christmas within the empty,
 as it becomes our best Christmas ever.


It's within the touch of His hand,
  His light, and His love,

in His embrace.


It's within...
His fullness of Grace in the nothing.


Christ within us.

This... is Christmas.





John 8:12
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."


Merry Christmas to you and yours!


1 comment:

  1. This was a beautiful and touching post!
    Thank you so much for posting this.
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my family to yours,
    Christmas Blessings,
    Tricia

    ReplyDelete

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